


Foundations

by seratonation



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Advice, Friendship, Gen, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, coffee dates, ladies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 07:56:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3282770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seratonation/pseuds/seratonation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the only reason to step back is to get a running start.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Foundations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Solanaceae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solanaceae/gifts).



> Thank you to S for the Beta <33

Sharon spends the first week in hiding. Her Aunt Peggy had a little cottage on the edge of Budapest. It was nice, relaxing, but Sharon wasn't one for sitting around for too long. 

Once the news and the media started to move on to other - more interesting - things, she packed up and went home. 

She looked into a career change. She looked at going back to school. She looked at her savings and decided she had a little while before she had to make a move. On this particular day, she was contemplating going to the gym, or maybe getting her nails done, when she found a note on her fridge that she definitely didn't leave there herself. _Lunch, 12:30, Espressoholics_.

Lunch with Melinda it was going to be. She made sure Fluffy had enough food, tried on a few dresses and put on her favourite hat. She made sure her gun didn’t show under her skirt, and the knife under her bra was secure. 

Melinda was alone, and she looked just as Sharon remembered her. She sat down and got straight to the point. “I don't suppose you break into peoples houses just to catch up.”

“Not usually, no,” Melinda smiled, the expression not reaching her eyes. 

“So I hear you’re starting again,” Sharon said, “rebuilding from scratch.”

“I wouldn't say scratch,” Melinda said, passing a thumb drive across the table, “we have a little help; we were hoping we could get you in with us.”

“How can you be sure I’m not batting for the other team?”

“You really think we would give you this offer without doing our homework?” 

“So who else do you have?” she asked, taking the drive, and turning it around in her fingers. 

Melinda smiled again. “You know I can’t go into that much detail without your confirmation to join.”

“Let’s see, you have the newbie, and probably Bobbi,” she said, tapping the drive to her chin as she thought aloud, “and Fitzsimmons, too bad about Ward. Who do you have instead? Triplett I would think. Phil of course is probably running the whole thing.”

Melinda’s smile didn’t falter. 

“Why do you even need me, Melinda?” she said, leaning forward, “you're doing fine.” 

“We’re still underground,” she said, “we need all the help we can get, and you were high level, amazing stealth, we could use someone like you.”

“SHIELD was full of people like me,” she said. “I’ve always been better on my own. I don't think I can do this, I don't think I’ll be as helpful as you need me to be.”

“But you grew up on it,” Melinda argued, “you know so much about starting from nothing-”

“I’ll give you all the papers I have if that’s what you want,” Sharon said. “But,” she shrugged, “let me think about it.” 

“Don't take too long,” Melinda said, starting to get up. 

“Melinda?”

“Hmm?”

“You quit fieldwork for a while,” she said, “what was it like? Working from behind a desk. Not being out in the field?” 

“Mind numbingly boring,” Melinda said, rolling her eyes.

“Thanks, Melinda.” 

“Anytime.”

***

Making plans with Natasha was much easier. All she had to do was sit at the same cafe in Bed-Stuy three days in a row before Natasha finally joined her. 

Her hair was darker than the last time they saw each other, and much shorter. She had giant sunglasses hiding her face but it was undeniably her. She didn’t even try to conceal that one freckle on her cheek. 

“How did you figure out I was here?” Natasha asked, by way of greeting. 

“It wasn't hard,” she replied, “you’ve been wearing that necklace like a talisman, and Barton might still be off the map but everyone knows about this place. I know you don't want to hide but need some time to be alone.” Sharon shrugged. “It was kind of obvious.”

Natasha cracked a smile and took off her sunglasses. “Not to everyone.”

Sharon smiled back. “I’m not everyone.”

“No you’re not,” she said, “what can I do for you?”

“I can’t just want to check in on you?” Sharon asked, making her voice higher pitched, placing a hand over her heart, “I have to want something?”

Natasha raised an eyebrow at her and Sharon broke into giggles. “Okay, well Melinda came to me with an offer,” she said, “they’re re-starting SHIELD.” She watched Natasha’s face closely and realised she wasn't surprised. “You knew.” 

“No,” she said, “but it makes sense doesn't it? Fury is out of the picture, and it’s not like the work goes away once the organisation is gone. Shit still needs to be taken care of. She offered you a job?” 

“Yeah,” Sharon said, “I’m not sure I want to take it.”

“But you grew up with SHIELD,” Natasha said, “they’d be lucky to have you.”

“I’ve been thinking about it,” she said, “and it’s like a bad breakup, you know? You think he’s one thing and he turns out to be a lying cheating dirt bag.”

“But if they’re starting over, making sure nothing starts up inside again, might be worth it.”

She shook her head. “I think it’s time to move on, start fresh on my own terms, you know I work better alone.”

Natasha nodded. “Sometimes it’s good to have back up though.”

“It’s easy for you, you already have your next job lined up,” Sharon said, laughing. 

“What? The Avengers?” Natasha asked, “No. that’s just a hobby.”

Sharon laughed again, “only you would call being a superhero a hobby.”

“Come on,” Natasha said, rolling her eyes, “I'm not a superhero.”

“You just fight alongside them, and they consider you part of the team,” Sharon said.

“You don't know that.”

“It’s obvious,” Sharon said, “you brought down Hydra with Captain America, if that doesn't make you an Avenger nothing will. Just accept it, enjoy it even. I hear Stark set up your own floor in his tower. I thought that guy hated you.”

“He does,” she insisted, “and I’m better off on my own as well, I’m not sure I can cohabitate with them all, I mean Stark alone-” she closed her eyes and shook her head, as if the thought was giving her a headache. “But I’m keeping busy,” she continued, “soldiers to find, covers to build.”

Sharon hesitated for moment, but then Natasha always told you what you needed to hear. “Have you ever thought of quitting the business? This is the perfect chance, no one to report to. It’d be so easy to disappear, to become someone else, someone normal.”

Natasha tilted her head and contemplated it. “But is that what you want? To be someone normal?”

“No, I don't think so,” she said, “I mean, you always think about it but I think I’d get so _bored_. But what if this is my only chance?”

“You’ll always have that chance,” Natasha said, “every morning we made the choice to go to work; we both know if we decided to leave SHIELD wouldn't be able to track us. But normal,” she shrugged, “you did the 9 to 5 for a while. Sure it was undercover, but it’s almost the same thing.”

Sharon shook her head. “It was terrible.”

Natasha nodded. “There you go,” she said, “some of us are not made for that. Did you hear about Johnson, though?”

“Lindsay?” 

“Yeah,” Natasha said, “she’s a florist now, and apparently she’s seeing someone who works across the road, who knows nothing about all of this. Some people are just made that way, but you and I are not.”

“I hear the CIA is picking up SHIELD agents.”

Natasha grinned. “I’ll put in a good word for you,” she said, “not that you need it.”

“Say hi to Clint for me,” she said, standing up, slinging her bag on to her shoulder.

“If you need me, you know how to find me.” 

They separated with a kiss on the cheek, and when Sharon looked back Natasha was gone. 

***

The interview process for the CIA was brutal, but when they gave her a gun and a target something inside her settled. This felt right, this is where she belonged. It was going to be okay.


End file.
